The Alpine Club, the world’s first mountaineering club, was founded in 1857. For over 150 years, members have been at the leading edge of worldwide mountaineering development and exploration.

With membership, experienced and aspiring alpinists benefit from a varied meets programme, regional lectures with notable guest speakers, reduced rates at many alpine huts, opportunity to apply for grants to support expeditions, significant discounts at many UK retailers, extensive networking contacts, access to the AC Library and maps - and more!

News

The AC / CC Ice Meet in L’Argentiere La Bessee started out with 3 days of appalling weather, raining at valley level and dumping lots of snow higher up. The main areas of Fornell and Freissenieres were not easily accessible. At this stage the trip was already spoilt by the loss of our leader to the flu. Smiler couldn’t come. By the end of day three everyone had found something to climb or ski on but spirits were low. Then it all changed. Clear skies and lower temperatures brought a smile to everyones faces.

Elizabeth Hawley, for most mountaineers on their way to climb in the Nepalese Himalaya, was like a venerable aunt you did not want to cross. She was made an Honourary Member of the Alpine Club in 2013. Many expedition leaders will remember a knock on their Kathmandu hotel door that awoke them from a jet lagged slumber. "Miss Hawley is waiting downstairs to see you sir," the deskman would say. Liz knew when you were in town and where. She would greet you cordially in a crisp, no nonsense American accent that spoke of both an excellent education and impeccable manners. She was a petite woman with aquiline features, glasses always perched halfway down her nose. Peering over those glasses, her eyes interrogated you as much as her questions. She never missed a chance to extract every ounce of information about your plans over tea and toast. In return, Liz gave us the latest news; who was where; doing what; tips on unexpected access or porter problems.

Details of the Oberland Meet are now confirmed. Aimed at all members, both aspirant members who are looking to gain more experience with a view to completing their AC 20 alpine peaks, and full members who might have taken a break from alpine climbing and are looking to return to the action. The meet is aimed at all skill levels, and the Bernese Oberland is a great location for picking off numerous PD routes, and for developing an alpine CV.

The ACG/YAG winter meet was a great success with teams getting out on both days of the weekend. Mixed classics such as North Buttress on the Buachaille, Neanderthal in the Lost Valley, Chimney Route, Original Route, Scabbard Chimney, Crest Climb on Stob Coire, Flake Route and Crypt Route on Church Door Buttress and Cutlass on the Ben were climbed.

The Alpine Club would like to announce that four 2018 alpine meets are now open for booking, each with a slightly different emphasis. Places are being snapped up fast, so book now to avoid disappointment! For more information, please see the Meets section on the AC website. Please note that Aspirants are welcome to apply to join all of these. If you need advice on which meet is for you, please get in touch with Nicholas H. Smith This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

After a multi-day trek up the steep Sumur Lungpa to establish a base camp by the Sumur Lakes at 5,160m, Derek, Drew, Rafal and Howard made the first ascent of Point 6068 via its technically easy SW slopes (Alpine F) on 18th September following an arduous 5h of post-holing from a high camp at 5,743m. Deceptively, this top turned out to be the high point of three convergent ridges rather than a true peak per se and was thus called Deception Point. We were unable to get a Ladakhi translation. Only roped glacier travel was required.

It is with great sadness that we report the death in New Zealand on 30th October of Honorary Member Norman Hardie, a member of the team to first ascend Kangchenjunga in 1955 and past President of the New Zealand Alpine Club.

Members are invited to send their tributes to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so that they can be posted on the website

The Alpine Club is deeply saddened by the news that AC Honorary Member Fred Beckey has died at the age of 94. A climber who had an unparalleled number of first ascents to his name, right across the US.

''But in the end, its really the selection of climbs that tell us the most about the world's most accomplished climber. Beckey's favorite climbs are defined by purity of line, position, and quality of movement - not difficulty. Fred's new book makes me really appreciate his innate ability to choose nature's most beautiful lines'' Mark Kroese writing in both the AAJ 2012 and the AJ 2013.

Members are invited to send their tributes to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so that they can be posted on the website.

“It’s all bullshit on Everest these days,” the late Sir Edmund Hillary once said. Wrong animal. Every year 12,000 kg of solid human waste is dumped at Gorak Shep at the head of Nepal’s Khumbu valley, the produce of thousands of mountaineers, trekkers and their entourages of sherpas, porters etc who congregate at Everest Base Camp in the climbing seasons. Unsurprisingly there is a pollution hazard for communities downstream.

In August 2017, four friends travelled to the Shimshal valley in northern Pakistan to look for unclimbed peaks. George, Steve, Clay and Ross had previous expedition experience but due to work commitments could only afford three weeks away.

Friday 8th – Sunday 10th June 2018

Meet Details:

The AC are planning a training focused meet based in Patterdale (Lake District).The focus will be on transferring skills to Aspirant Members who wish to improve their alpine skills and to Full Members in need of a refresher after a break from alpine climbing.

Informal training and guidance will be provided by Sandy Allen.

Topics will range from what to put into your rucksack to some basic Alpine mountaineering skills.

Cost - £10 to cover travel costs of speakers and evening meal (veggie and meat spag bol?) for Saturday evening - any surplus to go into club funds to assist with future meetings 10 bed places at the hut for the Friday (29th) and Saturday (30th) nights have been reserved for accommodation. The cost of these are £12 per person per night and these are on a first reply first served basis.

If you are an experienced, keen British alpinist under 35 years old and wish to attend then book a place on the event by emailing Tim Elson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and cc Ian Parnell at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This is not an introductory programme for alpine climbing, but targeted at those who already have significant experience in Scottish winter climbing, summer and winter alpinism and perhaps expeditions. You don't need to be jogging up North Faces or climbing Scottish grade VIII to come along, just to be actively climbing in the mountains and be excited about expedition alpine climbing. If this sounds like you then please come along!

Interested in organising a meet for the Alpine Club? It's easy!

The club is looking to extend its programme of meets, which offer great opportunities for members to get to know each other by climbing, walking or mountaineering, both within the UK, and overseas.

As well as the flagship Alpine Club summer meet, and regular winter climbing meets, not to mention the programme of Aspirant meets at home and in the Alps, the club is adding new venues each year, as members come forward to offer suggestions.

The Alpine Club, the world's first mountaineering club, has members from around the world. Since it was founded in 1857 Alpine Club members have been at the leading edge of worldwide mountaineering development and exploration